The JAK kinase family is a cytoplasmic protein kinase family comprising the members JAK1, JAK2, JAK3 and TYK2. Growth factor or cytokine receptors that recruit JAK kinases include the interferon receptors, interleukin receptors (receptors for the cytokines IL-2 to IL-7, IL-9 to IL-13, IL-15, IL-23), various hormone receptors (erythropoietin (Epo) receptor, the thrombopoietin (Tpo) receptor, the leptin receptor, the insulin receptor, the prolactin (PRL) receptor, the Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) receptor and the growth hormone receptor, receptor protein tyrosine kinases (such as EGFR and PDGFR), and receptors for other growth factors such as leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), Oncostatin M (OSM), IFNα/β/γ, Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) (See, Rane, S. G. and Reddy E. P., Oncogene 2000 19, 5662-5679).
Phosphorylated receptors serve as docking sites for other SH-2 domain containing signaling molecules that interact with JAKs such as the STAT family of transcription factors, Src family of kinases, MAP kinases, PI3 kinase and protein tyrosine phosphatases (Rane S. G. and Reddy E. P., Oncogene 2000 19, 5662-5679). The family of latent cytoplasmic transcription factors, STATs, is the most well characterized downstream substrates for JAKs. The STAT proteins bind to phosphorylated cytokine receptors through their SH2 domains to become phosphorylated by JAKs, which leads to their dimerization and release and eventual translocation to the nucleus where they activate gene transcription. The various members of STAT which have been identified thus far, are STAT1, STAT2, STAT3, STAT4, STAT5 (including STAT5a and STAT5b) and STAT6.
Since the JAK kinases may play an important signaling role via such receptors, disorders of fat metabolism, growth disorders and disorders of the immune system are all potential therapeutic targets.
The JAK kinases and JAK2 mutations are implicated in myeloproliferative disorders, cancers, including blood borne and solid tumors. Exemplary disorders include chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), primary myelofibrosis (PMF), chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) and systemic mastocytosis (SM). Myeloproliferative disorders are believed to arise from either gain-of-function mutations to JAK itself or from activation by the oncoprotein BCR-ABL, which specifically activates the JAK2 pathway. Several literature reports describe role of JAK2 mutations in various disorders. See, Samanta et al. Cancer Res 2006, 66(13), 6468-6472, Sawyers et al. Cell, 1992, 70, 901-910, Tefferi N. Eng. J. Med. (2007) 356(5): 444-445) Baxter et al. Lancet (2005) 365:1054-1056, Levine et al. Blood (2006, Jones et al. Blood (2005) 106:2162-2168) 107:4139-4141, Campbell et al. Blood (2006) 107(5): 2098-2100, Scott et al. N Eng J Med 2007 356(5): 459-468, Mercher et al. Blood (2006) 108(8): 2770-2778, Lacronique et al. Science (1997) 278:1309-1312, Lacronique et al. Blood (2000) 95:2535-2540, Griesinger F. et al. Genes Chromosomes Cancer (2005) 44:329-333, Bousquet et al. Oncogene (2005) 24:7248-7252, Schwaller et al. Mol. Cell. 2000 6, 693-704, Zhao et al. EMBO 2002 21(9), 2159-2167.
Literature indicates that JAK may also serve as a target for prostate cancer, including androgen-resistant prostate cancer. See, Barton et al. Mol. Canc. Ther. 2004 3(1), 11-20, Blume-Jensen et al. Nature (2001) 411(6835):355-356 and Bromberg J Clin Invest. (2002) 109(9):1139-1142, Rane Oncogene (2000) 19(49):5662-5679. JAK as a prominent mediator of the cytokine signaling pathway, is considered to be a therapeutic target for inflammation and transplant rejections. See, Borie et al., Transplantation (2005) 79(7):791-801 and Milici et al., Arthritis Research (2008) 10(R14):1-9
Given the multitude of diseases attributed to the dysregulation of JAK signaling, many small molecule inhibitors of JAK are currently being developed. Examples of compounds in preclinical development include TG101209 (TargeGen), examples are compounds being investigated in clinical studies include INCB018424 (Incyte), XL019 (Exelixis) and TG101348 (TargeGen). See, Pardanani et al. Leukemia 2007, 21:1658-1668; and Pardanai, A. Leukemia 2008 22:23-20.
There is, however, an ever-existing need to provide novel classes of compounds that are useful as inhibitors of enzymes in the JAK signaling pathway.